Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Save money, and the planet, with these green home improvement tips
Urban Living
Posted By Babs De Lay on November 15, 2023, 4:00 AM
I think it's safe to say that we all want to have a healthy planet and that anything we can do to be greener and more eco-friendly will help—even just a little. Owning a home and attempting to go greener can be costly, but a recent study from Rewiring America has come up with ways to budget, reducing your impact on global warming, to wit:
If you have less than $500, you can change out your light bulbs and even some fixtures to be more energy efficient. Incandescent bulbs are history, so installing compact fluorescent lighting or light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDS) will save you hundreds in electric bills each year. Installing a smart thermostat so you can turn down the heat or up your AC temperature in the summer while you're not home is really great now that we can control these things with our phones. The estimated savings for both these items is $480.
With a budget of $1,000 to $5,000, you can install an electric charger for your electric vehicle, which should cost around $2,500 and save you roughly $1,000, plus a 30% tax credit. Another item that will help is to slowly replace your windows, a few at a time, within your yearly budget of under $5,000.
It's extremely inexpensive to blow more insulation into your attic to save on heating and cooling bills—usually under $5,000. Also for less than $5,000, you can install a more efficient water heater and/or a heat pump water heater. Hell, for less than $100 you can wrap your water heater now in insulation and that will save you money and help save the planet!
Another website, greenamerica.org, found that in many households, the clothes dryer is the third-most energy-hungry appliance after the refrigerator and washer. Air-drying your clothes can reduce the average household's carbon footprint by a whopping 2,400 pounds a year.
According to the Netherlands Statistical Office, 75% of households in the U.S. own a clothes dryer, but about half of households in Europe own one. According to FEMA, clothes dryer vents become clogged with lint and cause up to 15,000 house fires every year.
You can dry your clothes outside in good weather but many find it hard to commit to doing that in the winter. Find a space in your basement or storage area to dry clothes and get a clothes rack off the web.
Get a floor fan and turn it on a low setting to dry the items and you will find that you will use a lot less electricity than you would use when operating a dryer. Also, drying clothes inside can have an added benefit, as it helps to keep indoor winter air moist like a low-tech humidifier.
About The Author
Babs De Lay
A full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates, Babs De Lay serves on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission. A writer and golfer, you'll find them working as a staff guardian at the Temple at Burning Man each year.
More by Babs De Lay
-
Enjoy the Utah summer, but wear sunscreen and check the air quality before exposure spoils the fun.
Urban Living
- May 21, 2025
-
Utahns might want to look at their toothpaste ingredients now that fluoride is banned from drinking water.
Urban Living
- May 14, 2025
-
American Mother's Day is rooted in Christianity, but moms are celebrated annually by cultures around the world.
Urban Living
- May 7, 2025
- More »
Latest in Urban Living
